Can a custom field name display differently across different projects

[jeff poggensee]

I have two projects that would like to collect some customer information. The users of project 1 would the a field that collects Customer Name, while the users of project 2 would like it to display as Client Name. I would like to avoid creating 2 custom fields to collect the same type of information. I see where I can modify default values using Field Context but do not see if or how I can change the value that displays on the screen for a field.

[GilesG · Accepted solution]

Hi jeffpogg,

There's no easy way to do this in JIRA 'out of the box'. However, you can create a single custom field in JIRA and make that field's description (i.e. the bit of text appearing underneath the option itself) differ according to the project that custom field is used in.

For example, you might have a custom field with the label/name 'Contact Person' (or one which is appropriate to use across multiple JIRA projects) and then have in the description - "Name of Customer" for one project and "Name of Client" for the other project. (Not ideal, but it's a way around this limitation.)

To do this:

1. Create your custom field (see Configuring a Custom Field for details). Tips:
   * You can probably make this custom field's context global and available to all issues.
   * Ensure that your custom field is associated with the relevant screens you want that field to appear on (e.g. the 'Default Screen')
2. Create (or ensure you have) two separate Field Configurations - one which you'll use for each project (see Specifying Field Behaviour for details).
3. In each Field Configuration, 'Edit' your 'Contact Person' custom field and change its description appropriately for the project it will be used in - i.e. one will have the description "Name of Customer" and the other "Name of Client".
4. Ensure each Field Configuration is applied to its own Field Configuration Scheme (see Associating Field Behaviour with Issue Types for details).
   * You may not need to associate individual Issue Types with their own Field Configurations in your Field Configuration Scheme. You only require a Field Configuration Scheme so that it can be applied to/associated with a JIRA project.
5. Go into JIRA's project admin area (in JIRA's administration area - see Defining a Project for more information) and associate the appropriate Field Configuration Scheme with your projects.

Hope that helps,

Giles.

[Stefano Minella]

What about using "Configuration scheme label"? Should it work?

I tried to use this field that is specific for each context, but it is not working; do you have idea about why this doesn't work?

[Cody Hinze]

The Configuration Scheme Label for each Context of a Custom Field (Available under Custom Fields > Actions > Configure > Add/Edit Context) is only used in the displayed list of Contexts for that field.  Unfortunately, it along with the Description field in the Context are not used on the View/Edit or Create Issues screens.  

You are correct that the Context area does not allow a user to customize the Label of a field in the UI for individual projects/issue types.

[Jo-Anne MacLeod]

I don't know that you can. However can you create a field called, "Customer/Client Name"?